2026 Wildlife of Arkansas Student Art Contest - Middle

MIDDLE SCHOOL CATEGORY - GRADES 5-8

Select the grade level below to upload your image.

The theme Wildlife of Arkansas acknowledges the natural beauty of Arkansas by providing the perfect inspiration for students to explore their natural surroundings and their artistic abilities. The term wildlife is not limited to animals, but can also include plants, wildflowers, or landscapes.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Guidelines for Artwork

• Contest is FREE and open to K–12th grade students in Arkansas.
• One entry per student is accepted.
• Artwork must be the student’s original work completed in the current school year.
• Artwork must be two-dimensional (no sculptures) single piece (no series).
• Artwork must feature Arkansas-native plants, wildlife, and/or landscapes. Artwork featuring plants, wildlife, or landscapes that are not native to Arkansas will be disqualified.
• All submissions must be titled.

The art contest is virtual with judging done via photographs that are submitted online.

Medium can be oil, acrylic, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, graphite, ink, and mixed media on canvas, wood, paper, or poster board no larger than 24″x32″.

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SUBMITTING ARTWORK:

• Do your research and make sure your subject species or landscape is native to Arkansas.
• Be sure your artwork is titled.
• Check that all information entered (name, address, email, etc.) is complete and accurate.
• Avoid listing school email accounts that may reject notification emails from AWF.

Three tips for taking awesome pictures of your artwork:

#1 Use good lighting- the best is non-direct outside lighting. No glare or shadows.

#2 Make sure it’s in focus and flat.

#3 Edit it…but do it sparingly. (Crop it, adjust lighting, etc., just make sure the image represents your actual artwork!)